Barker Dam Loop
Joshua Tree National Park · near Joshua Tree / Twentynine Palms · California Desert
Hiking
At a glance
- Difficulty
- easy
- Route type
- loop
- Distance
- 1.5 miles
- Elevation gain
- 50 ft
- Time needed
- day
- Best season
- October–April · Water in the reservoir after rain · Petroglyphs year-round
Permits and booking
- Permit required
- No
- How the permit works
- No permit. Joshua Tree NP entrance fee. An easy, flat, family loop. The reservoir holds water seasonally after rain. Native American petroglyphs at the end (do not touch). Cool-season hiking only.
- How hard the permit is to get
- 1 of 5
What is here
- Features
- Easy family loop · Historic cattle-rancher dam & reservoir · Native American petroglyphs · Boulder scrambling for kids · Wildlife at the water
Worth knowing
- Dogs
- Not permitted
- Good for a first timer
- Yes
Hiking detail
- Intl tip
- Barker Dam is in the Wonderland of Rocks area of Joshua Tree, near the world-class bouldering (climbing guide). Pair with Ryan Mountain (this guide) for an easy-plus-summit day. The reservoir is most scenic after winter rain. Respect the petroglyphs — they're irreplaceable and fragile. A great first hike for kids in the desert.
The guide
Barker Dam is Joshua Tree's perfect easy hike — a flat, family-friendly 1.5-mile loop through the park's iconic scenery that pa…
In the Guidebook
Everything above is yours for free. The written guide to Barker Dam Loop — what it is actually like, and what we would tell a friend before they went — comes with the Guidebook.
Getting there
- Coordinates
- 34.023, -116.142